Dene Academy

Dene Academy has achieved a 'Good' rating in its first inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school is recognized for its caring and nurturing environment, where staff demonstrate strong relationships with pupils and high aspirations for their achievements. The inclusive nature of the school has earned it the 'School of Sanctuary' status, reinforcing its commitment to providing a supportive atmosphere, especially for vulnerable students. However, despite the positive educational environment, the outcomes for Year 11 pupils in 2023 fell short due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and challenges with student attendance and transitions during their schooling. The school excels in offering a comprehensive curriculum, supported by well-executed teaching strategies and a focus on the personal development of students. While the overall quality of education is commendable, certain subjects, like geography, still require improvements in terms of curriculum planning and assessment to ensure all pupils achieve a secure understanding of the material. Leadership is actively engaged in promoting continuous development among staff and fostering an environment where everyone is valued.

Strengths

• Caring and nurturing school environment.
• High-quality pastoral care and strong relationships between staff and pupils.
• Inclusive practices recognized with 'School of Sanctuary' status.
• Ambitious curriculum that supports all pupils, including those with SEND.
• Effective reading support and strategies embedded across subjects.
• Well-planned personal, social, health education and careers programs.

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent mapping of essential knowledge in some subjects.
• Pupils do not remember knowledge consistently well across all areas.
• Recent changes in leadership may need further support.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Dene Academy attended 89.7% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 29.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 8.4% of pupils at Dene Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). 7 pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Dene Academy had 13.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 24.6% of pupils at Dene Academy were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 5.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Dene Academy received £10,037 and spent £9,978 for each of its 641 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £819,000 (£1,278 per pupil).

Across all 22 schools of Advance Learning Partnership, income was £8,477 and spending £8,506 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Peterlee · County Durham local authority: places and applications

Dene Academy is part of Advance Learning Partnership, which runs 23 schools. The nearest others:

• Bowburn Primary School Bowburn
• Brandon Primary Academy Durham
• Middlestone Moor Academy Durham
• Whitworth Park Academy Spennymoor
• Durham Academy Durham
• New Brancepeth Primary Academy Durham
• Edmondsley Primary Academy Durham
• Greenfield Academy Newton Aycliffe
• Parkside Academy Crook
• Hunwick Primary School Crook

What is Dene Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Dene Academy is Good, from an inspection in January 2024.

When was Dene Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Dene Academy was last inspected in January 2024.

How many pupils does Dene Academy have?

Dene Academy has 638 pupils on roll.

What age range does Dene Academy cover?

Dene Academy for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Dene Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 41.2, and 33% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Dene Academy?

Dene Academy is at Manor Way, Peterlee, County Durham, SR8 5RL.